Warmer weather usually means more motorcycles on the road – which means drivers need to be even more diligent when behind the wheel. In 2015, 4,976 motorcyclists were killed—up eight percent from 2014. Due to the vulnerability of the riders, motorcyclist fatalities happen nearly 29 times more often than passenger car occupant fatalities in traffic crashes.

May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month. Since Amerisure is in the midst of its yearlong Distracted Driving Campaign, we felt now was the perfect time to raise awareness of how driving behavior can impact the lives of motorcyclists. A recent study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration discovered that 78 percent of crashes and 65 percent of near crashes were caused by one of four inattention categories:

Unsurprisingly, secondary task distractions were the most frequent causes of inattention in the study.

Keeping motorcyclists safe

Ensuring your drivers are aware and attentive when behind the wheel is only part of the solution to prevent distracted driving and its potential danger to motorcyclists. Here are a few ways drivers can keep motorcyclists safe:

Always use turn signals when changing lanes or turning

Keep your distance when there’s a motorcycle ahead of you

Vigilantly use mirrors and check blind spots before changing lanes

Treat a motorcycle as if it’s a car and give them the entire lane

What motorcyclists can do to stay safe

Here are some rules of the road motorcyclists should follow:

Always use turn signals when changing lanes or turning

Wear a helmet that complies with local laws

Wear bright clothing as well as reflective tape/clothing to increase visibility